Sigmotd bower



Jan. 15, 1929. 1,699,343

s. Bowel;

REENFQRCED CLOTHESPIN AND THE METHOD OF MAKING SAME Original Filed March7, 1927 J I Q INgNTOR BY 64% zizvew A TTORNE Y Patented Jan. 115, 19293means PATENT FFHQEQ SIGMUND BOlifER, 0F BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

REENFOBGED CLOTHESPIN AND THE METI-IUID OF MAKING SAME.

Application filed March 7, 1827, Serial No. 173,325. Renewed June 11,1928.

The present invention relates to a clothes pin having a reenfor'cingattachment to prevent splittingand it also relates to new and novelmethod of making such reenforced clothes pin. The common type of clothespin made of wood with a slot sawn therein 7 to provide prongs forstraddling the clothes line and a portion of the clothes, is weak inconstruction, due to the tendency of the pin to split in the dir*ctionof the saw cut when the prongs are spread in the process ofapplying the pine to the line and clothes, the split taking placeusually in the direction of the length of the pin and therefore in thedirection of the grain of the wood. In my US. Patent No, 1,592,334,dated July 13th, 1926, I showed and described a reenforcenient adaptedto be made of wire and afterwardsapplied to the clothes pin. In thepresent invention the reenforcing memher is formed or constructed uponthe pin, using the latter as the form or mandrel in the construction ofthe reenforcing member.

The object of the invention in so far as the product itself is concernedis to provide a tight fitting and firm holding reenforcing memberencircling the clothes pin at its weakest point, the ends of thereenforcing member projecting into the slot in the clothes pin andfrictionally engaging with the walls of the slot to resist the expansionof the reenforcing member and also securing it firmly in place upon theclothes pin. Another object is to provide a reenforcement member whichwill fit tightly upon the clothes pin and thereby prevent the latterfrom splitting, and which will permit the application of a tight fittingreenforcement member notwithstanding the variations in the proportionsof the clothes pinswhich occur in the ordinary methods of manufacture.Although clothes pins are usually turned in a lathe and are intended tobe of uniform size, nevertheless in actual production there is a widevariation, both in the diameter of the pins and in the length of of thesaw cut or slot; butnotwithstanding these variations the presentreenforcement member is made to fit tightly upon the clothes pin so thatit properly serves its purapplying the reenforcement members to theclothes pins so that each reenforcement member accurately and tightlyfits its re spective clothes pin notwithstanding the variations in thesizes of the pins as commercially manufactured. The broad feature ofthis method consists in inserting one end of a strip of Wire, of whichthe reenforcing. member is to be made, into the slot of the clothes pin,near its inner end; then bending the wire tightly around the outside orpe riphery of the clothes pin to encircle it circumfcrentially; andafterwards forcing the second or free end of the wire into the slot ofthe clothes pin to maintain the necessary tension of the reenforcingring upon the pin. Other features and advantages will be set forth inthe following detailed description of my invention. 75

In the drawing forming part of this application, V

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the completed reenforeed clothes pinembodying my invention, and showing the same on a scale larger than theusual type of clothes pin for the purpose of more clearly illustratingthe details,

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 1, t

Figure 4 is a sectional View illustrating the first step in the methodof applying the reenforcing member and it is taken in the same positionas Figure 3,

Figure 5' is a similar sectional view showing the reenforcing memberafter it has been wound one and one-half times around the clothes pin,and

Figure 6 is a similar view showingthe completion of the reenforcingmember by the forcing in of the second or free end of the wire into theslot of the clothes pin.

I will first describe the product as it illustrated'in Figures 1 to 3,and I will then describe the method by which the product is produced.Herein I have shown a clothes pin 1 of the ordinary type, which isgenerally made by turning a piece of wood in a suitable lathe to form arounded body portion 2 having the flange or head 3 at one end. 'llreopposite end of the clothes pin is formed into resilient, substantiallyparallel prongs or tines 4 by forming a slot 5 longi- 11o tudinally ofthe pin, generally by means of a saw cut or cuts; and usually the loweror end opening of the cut is tapered or enlarged as shown at 6 toprovide wedge shaped inner surfaces on the prongs of the pin tofacilitate the initial application of the pin to the clothes line'andfabric. The reinforcing member is preferably made of wire whichencircles the clothes pin adjacent the inner end of the slot 5 where theclothes pin is most likely to split when the prongs are sprung apart. Asshown in the drawing, one end 7 of the wire 8 extends inwardly withinthe slot 5 of the clothes pin, in a direction somewhat radially of theperiphery of the clothes pin, so that this member frictionally contactswith the wall of the slot 5 at the point 9 and also with one corner 10of the wall of the slot; and preferably at this point of contact thewire is slightly pressed into the wood to prevent shifting of therecnforcing member lengthwise of the clothes pin. From the inturnedportion 7 the wire member 8 extends around the periphery of the clothespin in the form of a circular band 11 which encircles the'clothes pinapproximately one and one-half turns, the half turn 12 lying close toand parallel with the full turn 11,- The second or last end of this wireis drawn or forced into the slot 5 of the clothes pin in order to form aloop 13 the opposite arms 14, 15 of which exert opposing pressuresagainst the opposite side walls of the slot- 5 of the clothes pin Thisloop is wedged between the walls of the slot 5 and lies adjacent to theend 7 and its resists any tendency of the wire to expand. The two endsof the wire being thus locked within the slot of the clothes pin, theportions which encircle the pin are held tightly around itscircumference and serves to prevent the clothes pin from splittin on aline extending from the slot 5 Whic is the weak portion or the portionwhich is subject to the splitting action when the clothes pin is appliedto a line. If the two prongs 4 of the pin are forced over a clothes lineand fabric thereon with sutlicient pressure to tighten the pin upon theline, the strength of the clothes pin, or its resistance to splittingsubstantially increased. by the reenforceinent described, so that thepin may be forced into tighter engagement with the line and fabric thanthe ordinary clothes pin, and without causing the pin to split.

The method carried out in the formation of the presentcdcvice isillustrated in Figures t to 6 inclusive and is as follows: First, thewire 8 is provided with a bent portion 7 approximately at right anglesto the main portion 8 of this wire and the latter may be of any desiredlength. For instance, it may be a long strand of wire feeding from aspool or supply, and the free end is bent at an angle as shown in Figure4. The clothes in is then placed in such relation to this out portion. 7that the latter extends into the slot 5 of the clothes pin adjaccnt thetop shoulder 'orcnd Wall 16 of the slot. The'next step is to bend theportion 8 of this wire around the periphery of the clothes pin adjacentthe inner end of the slot 5 has shown in Figure 5, until the wireextends approximately one and one-half turns around the clothes pin withthe end 17 extending across one open side of the slot If the wire is along or continuous piece it may now be cut off at approximately the ointshown in Figure 5, leaving a free end 17 adjacent the clothes pin. Thisfree end is now forced into the slot 5 of the clothes pin by anysuitable tool so that a loop 13 is formed in this end oft-he wire, theloop extending into the slot 5 as previously described in connectionwith the product. It is preferable to hold the wire closely to theperiphery of the clothes pin as it is being wound into the positionshown in Figure 5 and until thehooked end 13 has been formed in the slot'5 of the pin, after which any pressure outside of the wire may bereleased because the wire is now so held upon the pin thatfit cannot ex)and. In the operation of forcing the end 1 into the slot ot' the-pinthe wire bends at the point 18 and slightly forces into the edge 19 ofthe clothes pin, forming a slight indentation, and this, together withthe indentation made by the first portion of the wire at 20, serve toprevent the reenforcin member as a whole from sliding lengthwise of thepin, in addition to such gripping action as may be caused by the tensionof the. reenforcing member against the clothes pin.

In carrying out the method the clothes pin itself may be gripped bysuitable jaws, (not shown) and it may. be revolved in such mannet" thatthe clothes pin itself acts as'a mandrel on which the reenforcing memberis formed. This is a decided advantage and is one of the main featuresof the method because each reenr'orcing member will conform accuratelyto the dimension of the clothes in to which it is attached, so that ifthe cothes pins vary in diameter, as they usually do in the ordinarycourse of manufacture, the individual clothes pin dctermines thedimension of its respective reenfmcing member so that each reenforcingmember may be made to grip or hold its respective pin sufiiciently tightto accomplish its purpose and also to prevent it from being dislodged.

While I have described the reenforcing member as made of wire,- andwhile I have shown in the drawing around wire uscd for the purpose, itis to be understood that any material susceptible of the formation shownmay be used without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having described myinvention, what I claim is:

1. A method of reenforcing clothes pins which consists of associatingwith a clothes pin a member such as a wire, having one end bent at anangle to the main portion thereof so that said bent end extendslaterally into the slot of the clothes pin, thence bending the mainportion of said Wire circumferentially around the clothes pin, employingthe clothes pin as a mandrel in said operation, and then forcing theother end of said wire into the slot in the clothes pin in such man neras to form a loop in said end, the legs of which press against oppositewalls of said slot in the clothes pin.

2. In an article of the class described the combination of a slottedclothes pin and a reenforcing member therefor, comprising a ringextending around the clothes pin adjacent the inner end of the slotthereof, said ring having its free ends extending inwardly into the slotof said clothes pin, one of said ends being bent to form a loop withinthe slot of the clothes pin.

In an article of the described the combination of a slotted clothes pinand a reenforcing member therefor, comprising a ring extendingsubstantially one and onehalf turns around the clothes pinadjacent theinner end of the slot thereof, said reenforcing member having its freeends extending inwardly into the slot of said clothes pin from oppositesides, at least one of said free ends being bent to form a loop Withinthe slot of the clothes pin.

4. In an article of the class described the combination of a slottedclothes pin and a reenforcing member therefor, comprising a ringextending substantially one and onehalf turns around the clothes pinadjacent the inner end of the slot thereof, said reenforcing memberhaving its free ends extending inwardly into the slot of the clothes pinfrom opposite sides thereof, said ends projecting in substantiallyparallel relation transversely of said slot and one of said free endsbeing bent to form a loop within the slot of the clothes pin.

5. In. an article of the class described the combination of a slottedclothes pin and a reenforcing member therefor, comprising a ringextending around the clothes pin adjacent the inner end of the slotthereof, said reenit'orcing member having its free ends extendinginwardly into the slot of said clothes pin, at least one of said endshaving a loop formed therein, within said slot, the legs of said loopbeing under tension and prcssing against the opposite walls of the slotof the clothes pin.

Signed at the city, county and State of of New York, the first day ofMarch, 1927.

SIGMUND BOWER.

